Starred review from December 15, 2023
An information-packed survey of creepy-crawlies and how they came to flourish. Almost every ecosystem on Earth needs bugs: for cleanup, for pollination, and as essential parts of the food chain. But what is a bug? And why are there so many (more than 10 quintillion) of them? This beautiful book delves into the classification of arthropods--which include insects, spiders, and scorpions--and travels far into prehistory to answer those questions and show how these creatures have evolved. "Toolbox" sidebars consider anatomy and behavior, including legs, eyes, wings, communication, and camouflage. Full pages are devoted to examples of significant scientific orders, past and present, such as Palaeodictyoptera, an order that included winged insects that died out toward the end of the Permian period. Forster uses proper scientific nomenclature; explanations of exoskeletons, for instance, are clear and complete. Exclamation marks are numerous but justified, given the inclusion of such fascinating details: Scorpions' "exoskeletons glow under UV light!" "Dragonflies can...even do instinctive math!" A bug "Hall of Fame" recognizes extremes, such as the goliath spider, which weighs nearly a quarter-pound. The author acknowledges that scientists still don't know everything about insects--research opportunities await burgeoning scientists. Final pages of text describe ways to catch, house, handle, and help bugs. Gordy's masterly gouache illustrations make every page--even those depicting the creepiest of creatures--a pleasure; his images and many timelines are both informative and gorgeous. Aspiring entomologists, paleontologists, and artists won't want to miss this one. (bibliography) (Nonfiction. 8-12)
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March 1, 2024
Grades 3-6 Forster details basic information about small, joint-legged critters sporting exoskeletons in this history of their evolution. Following discussions of animal classification and a time line of plant development, she describes ""bug"" predecessors in order of first appearance: trilobites from the Cambrian period; sea scorpions (Ordovician); daddy longlegs and spiders (Devonian); millipedes and centipedes (Silurian); dragonflies, six-winged insects, true bugs, katydids, crickets, and grasshoppers (Carboniferous); beetles (Permian); walking sticks (Jurassic or Cretaceous); butterflies, moths, and termites (Jurassic); and wasps, bees, and ants (Triassic). For each group, she connects salient characteristics with their habitats, explaining why each first appeared in that time frame. Most sections also contain relevant ""toolbox"" sidebars that trace developmental milestones including segmentation, exoskeletons, breathing technique, camouflage, social behaviors, and silk spinning. Representative species alive today are also noted. Wright's digitally enhanced gouache paintings bring the past to life, particularly in terms of the sea- and landscapes, complete with era-appropriate plant species. Bright colors, clear graphics, simplified backgrounds, and occasional cutaway depictions enhance this attractive, worthy overview. Back matter appended.
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